Author: UNICEF
Site of publication: UNICEF
Type of publication: Report
Date of publication: 2025
In 2025, Cabo Verde made meaningful progress in advancing the rights and wellbeing of children. Yet the country’s ability to deliver results at scale remains heavily influenced by structural inequalities, economic fragility, geographical dispersion, and escalating climate risks. The ongoing commitment to the SDGs, combined with strengthened governance and social policy frameworks, provides a solid foundation for accelerated progress. UNICEF’s role, grounded in equity, systems strengthening, and resilience building, remains essential to ensuring that every child in Cabo Verde not only survives, but thrives and learns in a safe, inclusive, and sustainable society. Cabo Verde maintains strong foundations for child survival, reflected in high immunization coverage and the elimination of measles and rubella.
The country has achieved near universal access to basic compulsory education, with 94.2% net attendance and 86% preschool enrollment, affirming progress toward SDG 4 and the Strategic Plan outcome indicators related to participation and learning. Yet the educational landscape reveals growing challenges in equity and quality. Preschool and lower basic education enrollment varies significantly across Municipalities, particularly São Salvador do Mundo, Praia, São Domingos, Porto Novo, Tarrafal, and Ribeira Brava, reflecting socioeconomic and geographic disparities. Children from low-income households and those with disabilities continue to face structural barriers, insufficient inclusive education infrastructure, and uneven municipal capacity. The full implementation of the 2022 education reform revealed worrying trends in quality. Failure rates increased to 22.3% in Grade 4 and 34.7% in Grade 8, pointing to learning losses highlighting the need for a national learning recovery strategy.
These findings align with global evidence showing profound post-COVID learning declines, particularly affecting already marginalized learners. Gender inequality persists, with boys more likely to repeat grades or drop out during both basic and secondary cycles. Secondary-level attendance remains low at 57%, driven by socioeconomic pressures, migration dynamics, and limited availability of diversified pathways for adolescents. To meet SDG 4.1 and 4.5 targets, Cabo Verde must invest in teacher development, strengthen local monitoring capacities, and adopt inclusive pedagogical approaches aligned with UNICEF’s equity driven education agenda.
The country has achieved near universal access to basic compulsory education, with 94.2% net attendance and 86% preschool enrollment, affirming progress toward SDG 4 and the Strategic Plan outcome indicators related to participation and learning
Every Child Learns
In 2025, significant strides were made to strengthen the policy foundations, inclusiveness, and resilience of Cabo Verde’s education system. UNICEF’s contribution focused on evidence generation, digital learning expansion, disability inclusion, and shockresponsive education planning, core elements of the UNSDCF’s education outcomes and CPD Output 1.2. Strengthening the governance and regulatory framework for early childhood education: UNICEF supported the development of the first Preschool Education Charter, establishing both a diagnostic baseline and a strategic vision for the subsector.
Mapping of legislation connected to early childhood education created a foundation for upcoming reforms and strengthened coherence between municipal and national frameworks. Advancing disability inclusive education: A national breakthrough was the completion of Cabo Verde’s first nationwide mapping of out-of-school children with disabilities. Supported by UNICEF Regular Resources, the evidence directly informed policy adjustments and enabled multisectoral pilots focusing on inclusive education practices. UNICEF additionally facilitated structured dialogue among all 23 multidisciplinary inclusive education teams, strengthening coordination and peer learning across the country.
Gender inequality persists, with boys more likely to repeat grades or drop out during both basic and secondary cycles
This work aligns with SDG 4.5 on eliminating disparities in education. Expanding foundational learning through digital innovation: Through the Learning Passport and Akelius initiatives, access to digital learning tools for mathematics and language expanded to 3,100 students from grades 1–6, representing an increase of 1,100 learners compared to 2024. The expansion reduced inequities between municipalities and improved early literacy and numeracy outcomes.
Strengthening WASH in schools and healthy learning environments: UNICEF trained 250 teachers from 11 municipalities, 50% of the country municipalities, in WASH education using contextspecific materials and childfriendly games. Approximately 15,000 primary school children benefited from improved hygiene practices and better learning environments. WASH improvements included rehabilitation of school bathrooms to support menstrual hygiene management, and the installation of 110 household water connections on Maio Island, prioritizing families with children and persons with disabilities.
Ensuring learning continuity after Tropical Storm Erin: Using regular resources and in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education, UNICEF conducted rapid assessments, distributed learning kits to 6,000 vulnerable children, and collaborated with UNDP on a PostDisaster Needs Assessment. These actions ensured uninterrupted access to education and supported municipal planning for resilient and inclusive schooling.